Ryan Keenan's XL1200 Sportster

Ryan Keenan is the second of three ChopCult members from Lake Charles who agreed to meet us at a favorite watering hole near his Louisiana home. Ryan's late-model Sporty is a classic example of today's home-built custom, writ bold in all its hammered glory. We see dozens of bikes like Ryan's XL at blue-collar bike events, and their existence warms are heart. Guys like Ryan are keeping the dream alive, and that's why he and his XL deserve a place on our home page. Every one one of us regardless of riding pedigree has pulled a boner like Ryan describes below. Here's to being man enough to own it, brother.

One time me and some friends were on a run and we stopped for gas. Pulling into the gas pump my bike started bucking a little, then she stalled. I was thinking, "Oh shit—two hours to go and I just blew the motor." So at this point everyone's trouble shooting my bike while I'm searching for a quart of oil. I added a full quart just knowing my engine was toast. I tried turning it over, but it bucked something fierce. I figured I'd try to start her one more time, so I pushed in the foot clutch and viola!—she ran perfect. Down the road I figured out what happened: I never put it in neutral when I parked next to the pump. Nobody in my crew knows about that brain fart 'til now.

Good looking bike, I have the same, "turner dynamic" microphone, I was going to use it for my taillight, but decided to use a old TCME light instead, you did a really good job making it look clean man!